Speciesca. 50 (4
in the flora): widespread in temperate to circumtropical regions, the flora
region, confined to eastern forests, but introduced to California, where rare.

As W. R. Buck (1998) has noted, Sematophyllum is a catch-all genus, and is in need of a world
monograph.The four North American
species, however, are reasonably treated in a single genus, Sematophyllum.

Sematophyllum demissum resembles Hageniella micans in many respects, but the strong double costa
of that species, as well as its toothed acumen, separate it.Also, Sematophyllum
has collenchymatous exothecial cells, but those of Hageniella are not.